Wheel for lawn-mowers.



J. H. AUBLE.

WHEEL FOB. LAWN MOWER$.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1905.

Patented Nov.& 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. H. AUBLE.

WHEEL FOR LAWN MOWERS.

. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11I 1905. 974,848., Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca., WASHINGTON, n. c.

tinrrnn snares rarnnr ornron.

JAMES H. AUBLE, OF CINCINNATI,

OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRIDS TO JACOB I'I.

BROMWELL, OF WYOMING, OHIO, AND JAMES J". MCDONALD, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

WHEEL FOR LAWN-MOWERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

Application filed. September 11, 1905. Serial No. 277,985.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Janus H. AUnLn, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in thelVheels for Lawn-Mowers, of which the following is aspecification.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to attain a constructionwhich enables me to manufacture the various portions of the deviceshereinafter specified out of sheet metal in a rapid, accurate andeconomical manner, and at the same time preserve the full strength ofthe material and of the structure.

Other objects of my invention will be hereinafter apparent.

The several features of my invention and the various advantagesresulting from their use conjointly or otherwise will be apparent fromthe following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings making a part of this application,Figure 1is a view in perspective of a wheel illustrating my invention. F 2 is aview partly in section and partly in elevation of the same wheel. Fig. 3is a view of the stationary disk that covers at one side of the wheel,the space within the wheel, and afi'ords support for mechanism foroperating the knives. Fig. at 1s a view of the disk at the other side ofthe wheel. This disk covers there the space within the wheel and addsstrength to the Wheel. This disk rotates with the wheel. Fig. 5 is aView in perspective of the outer shell of the driving wheel. Fig. 6 is aview, in perspective, of the inner lining or inner shell, which islocated within this ring por tion. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of oneof the pieces that go to form the zigzag or serpentine channels. Fig. 8shows, in perspective, a view of another of the pieces that may be usedin the serpentine channel. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a portion of theinner portion of the Wheel, illustrating how these pieces that enterinto the construction of the serpentine channel are connected to theinner shell of the wheel. The edges shown in sec tion belong to theflanges of the outer shell of the wheel. Fig. 10 illustrates inperspective the preferred make of box that holds a part of thereciprocatory mechanism that receives its initial motion from the.

wheel, and imparts it to that cut the grass, etc.

Similar characters of reference herein indicate corresponding parts.

I will now proceed to describe my invention in detail.

1 form the peripheral shell A of the wheel of sheet metal, substantiallyas shown. Thus formed, there is a peripheral tread A having raised crossprojections A. These cross projections are to create friction betweenthe wheel and the ground, so that the wheel shall not slip on theground. At each edge of this peripheral tread is a flange. So there aretwo flanges, one indicated by A, and the other by the character A. Bothof these flanges are integral with the peripheral tread A all beingstruck up or stamped out of single sheet of metal. lVithin this wheel Ilocate a lining or inner shell B. This is made of one piece of sheetmetal. This lining is adapted to carry the serpentine chamber or track.The preferred mode of constructing it, so as to carry said channel is asfollows: I stamp up little lugs or clip pieces B which when so stampedproject inwardly toward the axial center of this shell. I form out ofsheet metal pieces such as C, Figs. 7 and 8. The piece has a base C andflanges C C The free ends of these flanges at C are curved outwardly.These pieces C are attached to the inner side of the shell B, and whenso disposed are located relatively to one another and to the shell B, asshown in Fig. 9. The track T formed thereby is continuous around thei11- ner periphery of the inner shell B of the wheel. The pieces C haveopenings C Through these openings are respectively received the adjacentlugs B of the inner shell B. These lugs after being so inserted are bentdown, see Fig. 9, and constitute clamps, which respectively hold eachpiece C to the shell B. Some of these pieces C are also made to hold theouter shell firmly to themselves, and also hold the inner shell B inplace against the outer shell A. For illustration: The piece C, of Fig.7 is provided with end lugs C C. Openings A in the flanges A and A ofthe outer wheel shell A respectively receive these lugs. The latter areduly bent over, and when thus bent firmly hold the inner shell B againstthe outer shell A, and also hold their piece 0 to the cutting knivesthis outer shell A. The construction with the lugs C, as shown in Fig. 7is the preferred one.

In Fig. 9, the lugs C are shown straight and inserted through theflanges A and A of the shell A. In Fig. 2, these lugs C are shown afterhaving been bent down in place. When the lugs C are not needed, theywill be omitted from the piece C. The latter will then appear as seen inFig. 8.

The side of the wheel is composed of a sheet metal disk D, stamped toshape. This side D, see Fig. 4, has lugs D extending horizontally towardwhat may be termed its inner side. Openings A in the flange A of theouter shell A respectively receive these lugs D The latter are then bentdown, see Fig. 2, and firmly hold this side D to the wheel rim shell A.This side D has preferably an annular rib D", which confers strength,and adds to the ornamental appearance of this side piece. The centralportion D of this side piece D is made concave. This concave shape notonly adds strength to the wheel, but also allows room for the nut orother means used to secure the wheel in place on the axle shaft F, andwhich is to be placed within the plane of that side of the wheel. Thusthis nut, or other means, does not project out beyond this plane,neither does the shaft F itself project beyond this plane.

At the inner side of the wheel, I locate a disk E. This disk E serves tocover the adjacent side of the wheel. It also serves to support themechanism whereby as the wheels revolve the serpentine track Tcommunicates motion to the mechanism that directly operates the cutterbar. A part of the handle also can utilize the disk as a support and asa means for tilting the frame and cutter bar of the machine. Thesefunctions of the disk and said mechanism are already fully described inother applications for Letters Patent.

- The part E is struck up as shown. Great strength is thus imparted toit. An opening E through it is the one through which passes areciprocating bar that receives motion from the serpentine track andcommunicates its motion through proper intermediate means to the cutterbar.

The openings E are for a part of the handle to engage, according to theinclination at which the machine is to be operated.

The central portion E of the disk E is concaved, as shown. This shapeconfers strength upon the disk and also affords room for the means thathold the disk from slipping laterally along the axle, and yet allow theaxle to rotate within it. This disk is also preferably formed with anannular concave E As the preferred construction of the mechanism betweenthe wheel and the cutter bar,

a guideway Gr, see Fig. 10, is employed, and

l this guideway supported by the'dis'k E,

I will describe this guideway and the mode of connecting it to the disk.The guides way consists of sheet metal bent so as to have a top G andsides G G It has also flanges G, G one at the lower edge of each side GEach flange G is parallel to the top G and. extends inwardly. Theguideway is provided at one end with lugs G preferably two on a side.These lugs respectively enter openings E and E of the disk E, and beinglonger than the disk is thick, they when inserted project beyond theinner side of the disk. These projecting portions are bent down. Theguideway is now securely connected to the disk, and the space within theguideway alines with the space of the openings E The diskal piece E,making the inner side of the wheel, is mounted on a hollow cylinder orshaft F. The preferred means for connecting the diskal piece E to thishollow shaft F is as follows his shaft F has near its end ascrew threadF The shaft F is passed through the central opening E of the disk E.Nuts F F* are located on the shaft, one on one side of this disk, andthe other nut on the other side of this disk. These nuts are now screwedtoward the disk, and clamp it securely in position.

The disk D, making the outer side of the wheel A, is duly secured on itsshaft H, as follows :-The shaft H passes through the hollow shaft F andthrough a central open ing D in the disk D. The end portion of thisshaft is provided with a screw thread H On this shaft His secured a nutH* located at the inside of the disk D. Another nut H is screwed on thisshaft H and located at the outside of this disk D. This disk D issecurely clamped between these nuts. The disk D is securely fixed so asto be stationary on and with this shaft H, not only by means of thefriction of the clamping nuts H 11, but also principally by means of thedetent D which is preferably integral with the disk D, and which extendsinto a channel H running longitudinally in the shaft H. The preferredmeans of preventing the wheel and this disk D which forms a part of thiswheel from approaching the disk E and from coming into too greatfrictional contact therewith is as follows The hollow shaft F iscontinued beyond the nut F toward the nut H, and may impinge directlyagainst it, but the preferred means, as shown, is a small tube K, whichembraces the axle H and a washer K. The latter rests against theadjacent end of the tube F, and the tube K at one end is against theother side of this washer, and at the other end bears against the nut HAdjustment of the nuts F and F will serve to move the disk E nearer toor farther from the wheel as desired.

It is to be understood that on the other end part of the hollow shaft Fis a disk similar to the disk E, and on the other end part of the shaftH is a wheel similar to the one shown herein. In other words, themachine will be substantially symmetrical. As the parts fully describedare simply repeated at the other side of the machine, the descriptionherein presented is deemed suflicient.

The clips or lugs of one piece entering the slots of the opposite pieceand bent over, are the preferred means of connecting such piecestogether, but other means can be employed. lVhen the clips or lugs andthe slots are present, it is not essential that these clips or lugsshould be upon the part shown, but they can be upon the opposite partand enter slots in the complementary part. The clips or lugs and thecomplementary slots can be varied as to the pieces they belong to, andbe interchanged in any reasonable manner.

IV hat I claim as new and of my invention and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. I11 the wheel of a mowing machine, the peripheral portion havingtransverse ribs and side flanges, formed out of one piece of sheetmetal, and the inner shell or lining for this peripheral portion formedout of a single piece of sheet metal, and flanged channel plates to forma trackway, with means for securing the trackway to the inner shell,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a wheel of a mowing machine, the peripheral portion havingtransverse ribs and slotted side flanges, formed out of one piece ofsheet metal, and the inner shell or lining for this peripheral portionformed out of a single piece of sheet metal, and the flanged track orchannel plates provided with lugs at one edge adapted to pass throughthe slots of the side flanges of the peripheral portion and be bent,these several parts being thus combined, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

3. In a wheel of a mowing machine, the peripheral portion havingtransverse ribs and slotted side flanges, formed out of one piece ofsheet metal, and the inner shell or lining for this peripheral portionformed out of a single piece of sheet metal, and the flanged track orchannel plates provided with lugs at one edge adapted to pass throughthe slots of the side flanges of the peripheral portion and be bent, theinner lining or shell provided with struck-up lugs, adapted to passthrough slots in the base of the adjacent channel combined, theseseveral parts being thus held together, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

4. In a wheel of a mowing machine, the peripheral portion havingtransverse ribs and slotted side flanges, formed out of one plate, andbe bent, thus gether, substantially &

piece of sheet metal, and the inner shell or lining for this peripheralportion formed out of a single piece of sheet metal, and the flangedtrack or channel plates provided with lugs at one edge adapted to passthrough the slots of the side flanges of the peripheral portion and bebent, the inner lining or shell provided with struckup lugs, adapted topass through slots in the base of the adjacent channel plate, and bebent, thus combined, and a side diskal plate formed out of sheet metal,and provided with lugs struck up, and adapted to enter slots in theflange of the peripheral portion, and to be bent down, these severalparts being thus held together, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

5. In a wheel of a mowing machine, the peripheral portion havingtransverse ribs and slotted side flanges, formed out of one piece ofsheet metal, and the inner shell or lining for this peripheral portionformed out of a single piece of sheet metal, and the flanged track orchannel plates provided with lugs at one edge adapted to pass throughthe slots of the side flanges of the peripheral portion and be bent, theinner lining or shell provided with struck-up lugs, adapted to passthrough slots in the base of the adjacent channel plate, and be bent,thus combined, and a centrally concaved side diskal plate formed out ofsheet metal, and provided with lugs struck up, and adapted to enterslots in the flanges of the peripheral portion, and to be bent down,these several parts being thus held together, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

6. The combination of the peripheral piece with flanges, the outer sidepiece connected thereto, and the inner lining shell, and the trackwaypieces against the shell, each made out of sheet metal struck to shape,and means for securing these metal parts toas and for the purposesspecified.

7. The combination of the peripheral piece with flanges, the centrallyconcaved outer side piece connected thereto, and the inner lining shell,and the trackway pieces against the shell, each made out of sheet metalstruck to shape, and means for securing these metal parts together,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

8. The combination of the peripheral piece with flanges, the centrallyconcaved outer side piece connected thereto, and the inner lining shell,and the trackway pieces against the shell, each made out of sheet metalstruck to shape, and means for securing these metal parts together, andthe inner disk, centrally concaved and struck up of sheet metal, andaxle connected to the outer side piece and passing through the innerdisk, and means for securing the sheet metal parts together and the axlein position relative to the wheel and the inner disk, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

9. The combination of the guideway G having side flanges G, G", andbottom flanges G6, G and end lugs G, disposed as shown, and the innerdisk E having the opening E complementary to the space inclosed by theguideway and the small slots E and E adapted to respectively receive thelugs of the guideway, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

10. In combination with the peripheral portion of the wheel, the sidedisk having the detent extending into the axial opening of it, this diskand this detent being of one piece of sheet metal, and the shaft havinga recess for the reception of this detent, and also a screw thread, andclamping nuts for holding the disk on the shaft, a disk at the innerside of the wheel, a hollow shaft on which this disk is mounted, thishollow shaft having a screw thread, clamping nuts there on between whichthis lastnamed disk is held, the first named shaft extending throughthis hollow shaft, and the latter extended into the wheel, substantiallyas and for the purposes specified.

11. The combination of a wheel, an axle or shaft H, means for holdingthe wheel in place on the said axle, a hollow shaft embracing said axle,an inner disk mounted on this hollow shaft, a washer and an additionaltube around said axle, and located between the wheel and said innerdisk, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

12. The combination of a wheel, an axle or shaft H, clamping nutstherefor, and engaging a screw thread on the axle, a feather or keyconnection between the axle and the wheel, a hollow shaft embracing saidaxle, an inner disk mounted on said hollow shaft, a washer and anadditional tube around said axle, and located between the wheel and theinner end of said hollow shaft, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

13. The combination of a wheel, an axle or shaft H, clamping nutstherefor, and engaging a screw thread on the axle, a feather or keyconnection between the axle and the wheel, a hollow shaft embracing saidaxle, an inner disk clamped upon said hollow shaft by screw nuts, awasher and an additional tube around said axle, and located between thewheel and the inner end of the hollow shaft, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

1%. The combination of a wheel, an axle, means for holding the wheel inplace on the said axle, a hollow shaft embracing the said axle, an innerdisk clamped upon said hollow shaft by screw nuts, a washer and anadditional tube around said axle, and located between the inner end ofthe hollow shaft and the wheel, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

15. The combination of a Wheel, an axle, means for holding the wheel inplace on the said axle, a hollow shaft embracing the said axle, an innerdisk clamped upon said hollow shaft by screw nuts, a washer and anadditional tube around said axle, and located between the inner end ofthe hollow shaft and the inner holding means for the wheel,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

JAMES H. AUBLE. Attest:

JOHN E. FITZPATRICK, K. SMITH.

